NHTSA Complaint #10761176 — 2013 FORD FOCUS

STOPPED IN STOP-AND-GO TRAFFIC ON A MAJOR HIGHWAY, WHEN I ATTEMPTED TO ACCELERATE AGAIN THE VEHICLE FLASHED A WARNING WHICH SAID "HILL START ASSIST NOT AVAILABLE" AND THE ENGINE DIED COMPLETELY. I LOST ALL POWER TO THE WHEELS AND LOST POWER STEERING, WAS ABLE TO COAST TO THE SHOULDER, WHERE THE CAR WOULD NOT START. ALL WARNING LIGHTS APPEARED TO COME ON, INCLUDING SEATBELT, CHECK ENGINE, TRACTION CONTROL, ETC. THE CAR INDICATED IT WAS IN "DRIVE", IN SPITE OF THE FACT THAT I HAD THE GEARSHIFT IN PARK. IT WOULD NOT SHIFT GEARS OR ALLOW ME TO START THE ENGINE. AFTER SITTING FOR 30-40 MINUTES WAITING FOR A TOW TRUCK, THE CAR SUDDENLY APPEARED TO FUNCTION NORMALLY. I DROVE HOME, AND 10 MINUTES LATER, WHILE PARALLEL PARKING, THE INCIDENT OCCURRED AGAIN: BACKING INTO A PARKING SPACE AND ATTEMPTING TO PULL BACK OUT, GOING UPHILL, THE EXACT SAME SEQUENCE OF EVENTS OCCURRED ("HILL START ASSIST NOT AVAILABLE", LOSS OF POWER AND STEERING). THIS TIME THE VEHICLE COASTED BACKWARDS INTO ANOTHER CAR. NO INJURIES OR DAMAGE. THE 2013 FORD FOCUS CANNOT BE TRUSTED TO BE DRIVEN ON THE HIGHWAY. I HAVE READ MANY REPORTS ONLINE OF OTHER DRIVERS HAVING IDENTICAL OR VERY SIMILAR ISSUES WITH HILL START ASSIST/TRANSMISSION/TRACTION CONTROL ERRORS, LOSS OF POWER, LOSS OF POWER STEERING, AND INABILITY TO SHIFT GEARS OR RESTART THE CAR, WITH THIS ERROR SOMETIMES HAPPENING *WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS* RESULTING IN LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. I DO NOT FEEL SAFE DRIVING THIS CAR. I FEEL LESS SAFE KNOWING THAT FORDS WITH THIS PROBLEM WAITING TO HAPPEN ARE BEING DRIVING EVERY DAY BY UNKNOWING DRIVERS. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE OF THE HIGHEST MAGNITUDE. IT IS ABSOLUTELY OUTRAGEOUS THAT FORD HAS ISSUED NO RECALLS.